Tekken 8 director says players raising accessibility concerns “have misunderstood the options”

“The intent behind it is fantastic. But this isn’t the way to achieve that.”

Image credit: Bandai Namco / Gatterall

Fans and accessibility advocates alike have reached out to Tekken 8 director Katsuhiro Harada in a bid to have its colourblind options revised ahead of the game’s release next month.

After videos and screenshots showcasing the fighting game’s accessibility modes went viral over the festive period, colourblind players and accessibility advisers reached out to the Tekken team on social media alleging they fell ill with vertigo and migraines after testing the alternative modes.

The video below illustrates the issue but please refrain from watching if you know or suspect you may have epilepsy, as some accessibility advisers believe it may cause Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP):

Tekken 8 colourblind mode.
“You urgently need to remove one of your filters (the striped one), it cannot be present at launch as it may hospitalise players (or worse), in the same way as the infamous Pokémon episode,” said accessibility specialist, Ian Hamilton.

“The approach with the filters in general would benefit from rework, they generally don’t help. The intent was good and the technology is good, but the focus should be on players with low vision, not colourblindness, filters aren’t a fix for colourblindness.”

The approach with the filters in general would benefit from rework, they generally don’t help. The intent was good and the technology is good, but the focus should be on players with low vision, not colourblindness, filters aren’t a fix for colourblindness.

— Ian Hamilton (@ianhamilton_) December 27, 2023

“At the very least, it should be deleted, the way that people find out they’re prone to seizures, which can be fatal (SUDEP), is by having one,” Hamilton warned.

“The intent, behind it, i.e. separating characters by something other than hue, is fantastic. But this isn’t the way to achieve that.”

Director Katsuhiro Harada responded by saying that “a few people, albeit very few, have either misunderstood the accessibility options we are trying, or have only seen the video without actually trying them out in the demo play”.

“We have ‘multiple types of colour vision options’ for players with different colour vision, not just one pattern,” Harada said. “In addition to that, there is also a brightness adjustment for effects, and an overall brightness adjustment, and with those, there is quite a range of adjustment.

“On top of that, we have never claimed or publicised that these options cover all players’ colour vision (although it has been talked about by a favourable community as a result).”

A few people, albeit very few, have either misunderstood the accessibility options we are trying, or have only seen the video without actually trying them out in the demo play.

We have “multiple types of color vision options” for players with different color vision, not just… https://t.co/cEdcUTI8n3

— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) December 28, 2023

“These colour vision options are a rare part of the fighting game genre, but they are still being researched and we intend to expand on them in the future,” Harada added.

“Currently, we have received positive feedback from many demo play participants, but we understand that this option does NOT address the colour vision of ALL players in the world (said again).

“We would also like to inform you that we have been working with several research institutes and communities to develop this option even before we developed the ‘accessibility version of Tekken 7 (not for sale)’ and Tekken 8.”

it’s an apt example of our current society where actual colorblind people all know colorblind options are bad, but this legit might be one of the worst implementations ever

then you have non-colorblind people giving applause for how inclusive and amazing this is for everyone https://t.co/sXK2v8SnjE

— Larry DeVito (@jkinoa) December 27, 2023

“As a colourblind person, most colour-blind options suck, and this is no different. Idk if games will get it right (there have been a few that were good). But these options for me at least are shit,” said Tiaygo on Twitter/X.

“Also colourblind,” added AlevityXiaku. “These all look like shit and don’t help.”

In response to Harada’s statement, Hamilton said: “I have not ‘misunderstood the accessibility options we are trying, or have only seen the video without actually trying them out in the demo play’. I understand very well, and have tried them in demo play. I’m trying to help you avoid harming players and provide a good experience.

I have not “misunderstood the accessibility options we are trying, or have only seen the video without actually trying them out in the demo play”. I understand very well, and have tried them in demo play. I’m trying to help you avoid harming players and provide a good experience.

— Ian Hamilton (@ianhamilton_) December 28, 2023

“Maybe they will improve, I hope so. But so far, the only reaction has been the game director tweeting that anyone who says anything less than positive about it either doesn’t understand the features or has not played the demo. Which is not true and not cool.

“At 100 per cent, it can literally kill people. That’s not up for debate, people with photosensitive epilepsy have confirmed the seizure risk, every seizure risk comes with a % chance of death (Google SUDEP), and the way you find out you’re seizure-prove is by having one.”

At 100% it can literally kill people. That’s not up for debate, people with photosensitive epilepsy have confirmed the seizure risk, every seizure risk comes with a % chance of death (Google SUDEP), and the way you find out you’re seizure-prove is by having one.

— Ian Hamilton (@ianhamilton_) December 30, 2023